Enterohemorrhagic E. Coli (EHEC), including strains O157:H7, O26:H11 and O111:NM have emerged in the last 10 years as important foodborne pathogens carried by farm animals such as cattle. Cattle constitute a major reservoir of EHEC and studies have revealed that contaminated drinking water is an important vehicle for transmission of the bacteria. An estimated 73,000 cases of E. Coli strain O157:H7 infections occur annually in the U.S. Cattle are a major reservoir and studies revealed that when present in cattle drinking water, E. Coli O157:H7 was disseminated to other cattle using the contaminated water source.
Genomic subtyping of E. coli O157:H7 isolates from farms by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis has revealed that a single O157:H7 strain is dominant among isolates from cohort and noncohort cattle, water, and other positive samples (i.e., from feed, flies, and a pigeon, etc.) on a farm. This indicates that drinking water is an important vehicle for disseminating E. Coli O157:H7 on the farm.
Studies indicate that once drinking water of farm cattle is contaminated with E. coli O157:H7, the bacterium is capable of surviving for extended periods of time. Sterilizing such EHEC contaminated drinking water is further complicated by the fact that such water frequently contains rumen contents or animal feces. A variety of treatments have been evaluated for their efficacy in killing E. coli O157:H7 in drinking water contaminated with cattle feces or rumen content. Results revealed that most had minimal effect on killing E. coli O157:H7 due at least in part to neutralization of the treatment by organic materials present in the rumen content or feces. Accordingly, there is a need for a practical treatment to eliminate or control E. coli O157:H7 in animal drinking water.
One aspect of the present disclosure is directed to a novel composition that will prevent or substantially reduce/eliminate the presence of enterohemorrhagic E. coli and other foodborne pathogens in farm animal drinking water.